Reviewer: Connie Galambos
Rating: 4 StarsWitty and moving! The actors developed their characters amazing well
considering the shortness of the separate plays...the writers gave them
intriguing characters with which to work.

Reviewer: Jerry Curtiss
Rating: 5 StarsThis production reminded me of an off-Broadway show I saw years ago in New
York. It was fabulous and an unexpected pleasure. The actors were very, very
good and I enjoyed each of the five vignettes, in particular, The Good
Daughter. The entire audience gasped at the end, it was such a surprise. A
wonderful job by all involved.

Reviewer: Goreski
Rating: 4 StarsThis is a very nice set of short one-acts... well worth gong to see. Not all of the
pieces are all that strong, but I think you'll be rewarded if you see this... I
found it fun, and the acting is basically good, and some of the actors are
really very good here. Highly recomended. All the pieces are well written, well
performed.

Reviewer: Dona Payne
Rating: 5 StarsI was amazed how interested I became in 10 minutes. I have to say "The Good
Daughter" was my favorite. I was impressed how much was said about aging
and the emotions of those who support the aging without being preachy and
WITH a clever twist. It was so great to see new plays and new outlooks. The
acting was great and the price was so right.

Reviewer: Mary Rodriquez
Rating: No ratingThis was awesome! I went with a friend who knows one of the actors. I really
just wanted to have an espresso and call it a night, but I got dragged along. I
was surprised when Check the Box was really good!

They were all great, but my favorite was The Good Daughter by Robin
Bradford. It was amazing. My only suggestion is that it could be longer. Maybe
this could be made into a full-on play? It seems like it's got a lot of potential.

I could really identify with Pam Gutman's play about the Eurasian, because I
come from a mixed family and I've run into some of the same issues she did
growing up.

The actors all played various parts and it added to the fun to see them go
from one play to the next. They were versatile and believable in all the roles.
In short, I can recommend Check The Box to anyone who wants a great
experience at the Fringe. Or at the theater, period.

Reviewer: W. R. Hamilton
Rating: 5 StarsThis play far exceeded my expectations. It took me by surprise, from the
direction, which successfully linked five separate pieces -- to the actors, who
were just superb.

Robin Bradford's "The Good Daughter," is a standout in this group of five
excellent mini-plays. It's a roller coaster ride which had me up and down
several times within a few moments. Quite unexpected and very well written.
The actors were terrific.

"Harley and Handel," by Maureen Bogues, was very entertaining and
wonderfully acted. I enjoyed Edna Hall's "Twinship Kinship," as well as the
work of Pamela Gutman and Mae Meidav. In all, this is a MUST SEE for all
Fringe goers. Just great! THANK YOU.

Reviewer: Pat Craig - Contra
Costa Times
Rating: No rating...CHECK THE BOX: MERGING VOICES. ...wonderfully entertaining ... If you
enjoy sharp writing and plays that demand rapt attention and concentration,
don't miss "Check the Box: Merging Voices," a set of short pieces presented
by ... Brookside Repertory Theatre. ... the group seems to be concentrating
on performing original sketches and plays that take a different angle on
contemporary life -- from love among the nerds to dealing with elderly parents
to growing up Eurasian in a blond family or gay with a mom in denial.
These brief dramedies are wonderfully well-written...

Brookside Repertory's opener: "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Computer," by Mae Ziglin Meidav, is a sly comedy about a mixer at a convention of engineers, and places notions of love, romance and sex in a technical context, with a
language of initials and slang only a systems pro could love. And, while you
may not understand a word these people are saying, you will quickly see that
they are not talking about making connections with a high-speed modem.
... "The Good Daughter" by Robin Bradford, was a well-performed meeting
between a young woman and an elderly woman in a nursing home. The
sketch is not only nicely written by offers a lesson in the fact seeing is not
always believing ... (Pat Craig, theater critic, Contra Costa Times,
Sept. 8, 2003).

Reviewer: Ray Hodgins
Rating: 3 StarsMeidav’s "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Computer" full of computerese/sex talk really smart writing. Hall's "Twinship Kinship" had a charming vaudeville touch
to it & entertaining wordplay. I like its silliness. Bradford's "Good Daughter,"
was great. 4 stars for that one. Nice surprise payoff. It made me think about
my own mother & her current elder care situation. Gutman's "Borders," etc.
Amazing package of 30-year bio in 10 minutes time. Then Bogues' "Harley &
Handel" was both funny & poignant: mother & son, a cigar box, cookies & a
pending trip to a concert. Solid direction & clever transition from one play to
the next. Zipped right along. Excellent acting -- especially Sondra Putnam, in
the computer sex talk piece and Pat Parker as the mother of the "good"
daughter. It was my first time Fringe show and now I'm looking around for more
to see before this years production ends.

Reviewer: Patricia Koob
Rating: 5 StarsWho would dream that so much could be said in a 10-minute play? All five in
this collection were gems, beautifully written, acted, directed, and staged. I
can't wait to see more plays by the five fabulous female playwrights!

Reviewer: Vince Vitale
Rating: 4 StarsWhat could you expect from five performances in one hour? Quite a bit,
actually. Three are more vignettes than plays, with interesting takes on
networking without a sexual undertone, the life of twins, and navigating ethnic
prejudice when you’re born multi-ethnic. The other two are mini-plays. “Harley
and Handel” by Maureen Bogues is a touching story of family dynamics, when
someone is not allowed into the life of the other because of the sense of not
being safe, and the potential for healing. “The Good Daughter” by Robin
Bradford stands out as a gem, almost Twilight Zone. How this
mother/daughter emotional baggage plays out I won’t reveal, for belying the
plot. I can easily recommend seeing “Check the Box” just to see “The Good
Daughter.”